Everett's Wines, Spirits & Beer

Everett's Wines, Spirits & BeerEverett's Wines, Spirits & Beer
Everett's Wines, Spirits & BeerEverett's Wines, Spirits & Beer
Store

426 Gardner St
South Beloit, Illinois, 61080-1327
United States

(815) 389-3606 | map
everettsliquor.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.46
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
23
pDev:
7.4%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by schnee221:
Photo of schnee221
Reviewed by schnee221

4.45/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
It's worth the 15 mile drive to get the micro beers you can't get in Rockford. I was driving 1-1/2 hrs to Chicago to buy kegs you could never get in Rockford. Matt will get what ever I want, even if he has to go out of his way to special order. Prices are very reasonable. The service is the best. Have been to one beer tasting. Was very well done. The selection was very good, not just you everyday stuff. What I like is when a special brew come out and the store only gets one case, Matt holds a lottery so everyone gets a chance. In Rockford you run to every store and maybe you get a bottle, if they have any left after they hold them for their friends.
Mar 18, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

3.92/5  rDev -12.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 5
Best store in South Beloit - I checked them all.

A little cheap feeling, but hey...it's a basic liquor store. Great date rotation on Pipeworks, stored in dark coolers. Pipeworks bombers - MariLime Law and Mandarina as of Sept 2017. Also a good Mix-a-Six...not extensive, but quality. Oddside, Short's, Ale Asylum, Bruery, Maplewood, Half Acre, it's all here. I don't recall any 3F though.

Got two 4 packs of Ninja here that was practically just born. Awesome quality.

Other beers take a hit though, I assume they're not as popular. A lot of IPA cans I found were almost 6 months old, and i found a stout that was over a year old. The quality category takes a deduction as a result, here.

It's a small liquor store basically, but prices are fair and the staff is nice. Just head to the back and spend a half an hour. I spent about $60 here (15% of my total alcohol bill for my trip).

I'm rating the selection as a 5 for SOUTH BELOIT, simply because the other places are so horrible in comparison that it's not worth going anywhere else if you're in this little area of Illinois.
Sep 25, 2017
Photo of beerguy04
Reviewed by beerguy04 from Illinois

5/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
This a family owned liquor store. It has a large craft beer and import selection that takes up the entire back. Has beer tastings and rare beer days. Recives several Chicagoland beers to choose from. Matt can help you with what you want, and specially order something for you. Also, if you're a fan of wine and spirits, they also have you covered.
Jan 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.32 by UWBadgerFan4Life from Wisconsin

Jul 08, 2015
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Reviewed by mharris2511 from Illinois

5/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Excellent bottle shop near my house. One of the few places in the Rockford that gets Spiteful and Pipeworks bottles on a regular basis. Decent bomber and mix a six selection. Excellent service from Matt
Mar 22, 2015
Photo of jonesjere
Rated by jonesjere from Wisconsin

4.62/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
Great place to stop from Wusconsin to get Pipeworks, Firestone Walker and my Revolution fix.
Mar 03, 2015
Photo of kkleu357
Reviewed by kkleu357 from Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +12.1%
Stopped in while I was in town. I’m from Madison and was very happy to see so many different beers that I could not get at home. Pipeworks, Revolution, Firestone, and many more. The guy who runs the beer area was very friendly and went out of his way to help us out. Even showing us some of the stuff he hadn’t had time to put on shelves yet. Seems like he really likes getting Wisconsin people in.

Also, wow do they have a huge selection on liquor and wine. Didn’t buy any, but you could pretty much find whatever you were looking for. I’d say the only selection I’ve ever seen bigger when it comes to liquor would be Woodmans.

Prices on everything were reasonable. I’ve stopped in Chicago to buy some of these beer products before and pay probably 15% more. Will stop again next time I’m driving through South Beloit.
Aug 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Tconder

Jul 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Beer_Destroyer from Illinois

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by assman79 from Wisconsin

Feb 28, 2014
Photo of joe1510
Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

4.29/5  rDev -3.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Everett's looks like your typical small town liquor store. When entering your greeted by the counter directly to your left and the wine section straight ahead. Take a left past the counter and there are four long rows of alcohol all laid out by style with some decent selections. Some of the booze prices are high and some are extremely reasonable so when you look around try and have an idea of prices in your area.

The beer is in the back of the store. A stand alone shelving unit, maybe 15' in length, holds most of your bombers and 750s with a very well thought out selection; Upright, Alesmith, Pipeworks, Spiteful, Boulevard, etc. The focus seems to be on seasonals and new releases. I've yet to have any freshness problems from Everett's. The sixers are on a wall shelf and stacked high with a good selection. A single cooler holds bombers of hoppy items and a row of coolers hold your more standard BMC type stuff. Whoever the beer guy is understands freshness, seasonability, and desirability. As with the booze some prices are great, a couple are high but for the most part they lean toward reasonable with sales that feel like robbery at times.

I would frequent this shop often if it was in the Chicago area so for a town like South Beloit to have a liquor store of this quality is saying a lot. It's a craft oasis in the middle of a beer desert. The service is helpful and the prices right with some breweries I can't get around Chicagoland. I make sure to make a stop every time on my way to Madison. Check out Everett's!
Nov 01, 2013
Photo of Stevedore
Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +0.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
Writing this review based on my ~10 visits in the past year. I live in Wisconsin but whenever I'm passing through on I-39/90, I usually make it a point to stop in South Beloit to pick up brews that don't get distributed to Madison.

Atmosphere is pretty straightforward. It's a liquor store that offers wines, spirits and of course beer in the back. I don't think there's much more to say about atmosphere, honestly.

Now the quality of the store is quite a bit better than most other stores I've visited, and I've visited quite a few in my travels. Everything's labeled properly, cleanly and organized rather well. Especially when the store built new shelving units by the coolers. It's not a huge store like a Binny's, but it is very compact and its not difficult to browse through.

Service has been very good every time I visit. I've had employees come up and ask if I had any questions about the beer or if I was looking for anything. Invariably, but especially as of late, we have ended up talking about beer, especially Pipeworks. Last time I was there, I checked out a Saison-Brett, paid and realized and it was $2 over the listed price. I think at some stores, they would blow it off, but the ladies at the register and Matt double checked that it was what it was supposed to be, and found a solution quickly. I appreciated that.

Granted, this is coming from a Wisconsinite who doesn't have regular access to IL distro stuff Pipeworks, Boulevard, Ballast Point and Stone. But the selection of this store on the WI/IL border is a godsend. I really appreciate being able to pick up stuff like Ninja vs Unicorn, Enjoy By, Victory at Sea, Saison-Brett, etc. off the shelf. That's in addition to a favoured shelf staple of mine, Deschutes Black Butte. For a liquor store this size in a location like South Beloit (read: not in a thriving metropolis), the selection is outstanding. Basically, the selection is out of this world in terms of its proportion to the store's size/location. That's why I usually go out of my way to stop here when I pass by on I-39/90.

Pricing wise is very reasonable. There are some brews on the shelf that are definitely overpriced, like Founders Imperial Stout at $15.99/4pk (when it was $10.99/4pk in Madison) but for the most part, pricing on fresh stuff like Pipeworks and Stone is pretty much what I expect, sometimes below that. Given their selection and service, I'm happy to patronize this establishment.
Oct 05, 2013
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.41/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
August 2013:
Finally was able to chat with Matt the beer guy, and he was great to talk to. Noticed a nicely expanded craft & import selection, with more space dedicated to craft in the coolers, cold variety packs, even a door full of bombers. Many IL distributed breweries like Schlafly (X-IPA), Ballast Point, Upright, Pipeworks (Marilime, Centennial Ninja, Close Encounter), Spiteful, Uinta, Deschutes, and more. On the price tags there were 'received on' dates so you know what's new. Highly recommended shop, best in the area for sure.

August 2010:
Great selection, some new exclusive imports from HaandBryggeriet like Haandbakk & Akevitt Porter. Still not a whole lot of craft in the coolers, though I like the mini-fridge on the craft shelf. Gems like Devil Dancer, BCS, Sculpin, Haandbaak, etc. will keep me coming back.

02-14-2010
Are we still in Illinois? Sigh... yes.

Beer section is located in the rear of the store, past aisles of liquor and wine. No windows or light coming in. There were a couple rack displays with bombers from Port, Lost Abbey, Ballast Point, New Belgium, Fort Collins, etc. On the shelf there was plenty from Founders, Bells, Dark Horse, and others. Breakfast stout was on special for $8.99, that was sweet. Pere Jaques and Sofie from GI were also on display. Around the corner there was a good range of imports, 3 Monts, Chouffe, Rodenbach on the Belgian side, Schlenkerla and others on the German side. Not crazy extensive, but very respectable. In the coolers there were only 2 doors of craft, and 1 door of imports out of 10 or so doors. Lots of macro cases, and random malt liquor dominated the rest of the coolers. The older lady at the register was nice, but there was no staff on the floor. Service score reflects the website and updates here on BA from Matt the beer buyer.

Overall this was a good store with cheap deals, though Wisconsin was calling my name. Woodmans in Beloit had Cranbic, and Badger had a bunch of WI singles, plus Stone etc.
Aug 11, 2013
Photo of Gotti311
Reviewed by Gotti311 from Wisconsin

4.37/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25
For anyone in the Southern Wisconsin area, Everett's is a must stop anytime you are in the area. They have access to a few different great breweries that are not able to cross over the border into Wisconsin such as Stone, Firestone Walker, and Ballast Point just to name a few.

The other great things about this place is accessibility. It is located only a couple of minutes off of I90 at the South Beloit exit. It is so easy to swing in and check out the enormous selection. Anyone from WI would definitely be blown away by the selection of beer that you cannot get in WI.

I am not a strong advocate for many things in the hill-less state, but this is one of them.
Dec 14, 2012
Photo of Skylermandela
Reviewed by Skylermandela from Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
This is definitely a good liquor store to stop and get beer at. They have a fine selections of a lot of the big name craft breweries around. Even some of the smaller ones.

Matt, the beer buyer, will make sure you are well taken care of. If you need a beer that he doesn't have, let him know, he will take care of you and do his best to make sure you are leaving his store satisfied.

They surprisingly get a good amount of highly allocated beers. Matt always does a lottery to be fair. This probably isn't the place you should drive from Chicago to find a beer that you have no chance of getting down there. This is a family liquor store that looks after those who look after it.
Mar 22, 2012
Photo of kevin7912
Reviewed by kevin7912 from Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Good selection for the area and always seems to get the limited released beers I love, just wish they could get more of them.

Matt is knowledgeable and keeps all the facebook friends in the know when the good stuff is being released. I always find something good when I stop in.

Matt also sets up beer tastings with a very good selection. The winter tasting was a great time and actually turned into a sampling with individuals sharing some limited items from their cellars.(not sure if this should be made public)
Mar 16, 2012
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Reviewed by crossovert from Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -16.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
Stopped at this place briefly today.

It looks pretty old school form the outside and isn't in the most notable neighborhood. Inside it is neat, clean, and nice. Lots of beer in the fridge as well as an aisle of imports and a half aisle of American craft.

The gem I found here was Sculpin. There were 2 bottles left conveniently cooled in the fridge. The selection is pretty good, not world class but for the location it is very nice.

The service was nice but I didn't really need help. There seemed to be quite alot of people in the store. The prices seemed reasonable.

If you are in the area it is a worthy stop, and of course they have Ballast Point. But I only saw the IPAs.
Aug 10, 2011
Photo of Lemke10
Reviewed by Lemke10 from Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Whenever I'm just south of the Wisconsin border I stop into Everett's to get some interesting beers that aren't available in the southern Wisconsin market. They have a decent selection of Macros, Micros, Malt beverages, and imports. I always hit up their mix and match section to see what's in the mix. On this trip I got some Two Brothers, Rouge, Breckenridge, and Atwater Block. I was also able to find a single from Kenya! It's a smaller store that attracts the middle to upper class. You can tell wine and liquor are their specialty. In and out rather quick. I'll be sure to stop in the next time I'm in town!
Jul 08, 2011
Photo of JSaint
Reviewed by JSaint from Wisconsin

4.88/5  rDev +9.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Ever since I turned 21 I have been going to this place to just see what they had. Back then they really didn't have a big collection of beer compared to the wine and spirits. But now they have a great selection of crafts! I love going in there just to see if anything new has showed up. Also helps I live only 10 mins from this place. The guy I always run into when browsing the beer is very knowledgeable and gives some great leads to another favorite spot of mine. Oh and they still have KBS! Great place and great knowledge.
Mar 25, 2011
Photo of bertram
Reviewed by bertram from Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -8.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
I nice little place with a pretty good selection of craft beers - head to the back for the beer...and head all the way back to find even more that's either still boxed or mixed on a couple of shelves. And don't miss the cooler to the back and left.

The store is a bit off the beaten path, so if you didn't know where to go you might never know it's there. They have really good prices and selection makes this store worth a stop if you're near the border.

Check the rack for a make-your-own 6-pack, and keep an eye out for some good 50%-off choices.

I had a nice long talk with Matt at Everett's and he knows what he's talking about - I will be shopping here often.
Feb 23, 2011
Photo of Elric73
Reviewed by Elric73 from Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +0.9%
I almost don't want to review this place but I promised Matt a long time ago I would and never got around to it. I regard it is a bit of a hidden gem. It's only a 25-30 minute drive from my home and it's one of the best places outside of Chicago or Milwaukee to buy beer. Whenever the City is out of the good stuff because every beer hoarder knows the second something great comes out, this place still has it. They still had KBS, Batch 9000, and Nemesis for weeks when Chicago was out of it, and waaay cheaper ($9 for a 4 pack of Breakfast Stout versus $15 in Chicago). And if you need help, Matt is always helpful and willing to talk shop with you. This place may not look like craft brew paradise, but you will find a good selection here, and you won't walk out before buying a few beers.
Sep 30, 2010
Photo of oach
Reviewed by oach from Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -3.6%
Visited the store today on my way home from New Glarus. Not a big store with the beer all the way in the back. The pricing was just as good or better than the local stores to me. The selection is good but not big. Plenty of midwest locals with Ballast Point from CA being something I can't get an hour south. They also have some Belgians and macro beers. There is also a small section of single beers that you can put together for $8/sixer.

Matt, the beer guy, came out to ask if I needed help and struck up a 40 minute conversation. He seems to run some beer tastings and be a huge craft beer guy himself; very knowledgeable. He even said if I was coming up again to let him know if there was something he could get for me, especially from Ballast Point. That is service.

Too my surprise and happiness, they still had singles of KBS and two four packs of Nemesis, which I never could get locally; both were added to the purchase group. Matt walked me to the front of the store and rang up my beer and threw in the two "singles" on the house.

Great experience. Too bad this isn't a place closer to home.
May 24, 2010
Photo of Bulkman
Reviewed by Bulkman from Minnesota

4.36/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
UPDATED: 1/28/11, denoted by *

*Matt, the beer buyer for the store, has greatly improved the customer service experience. He has also improved their selection & pricing.*

I've been going to this place for years, but it had been several years since my last visit because I moved away. Decided to stop in & see what had changed over the years after noticing on their website that they carried Lost Abbey.

The beer is in the back of the store, completely away from any windows. Of course, there are the normal selections of macros, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it overwhelms the craft beer selection. There are some selections in the cooler, as well as some of the pricier items (Lost Abbey Angel's Share) in a small, wine fridge on top of one of the shelves. Two long shelves hold mostly bombers & 750's on one side & 6 pks on the other. I'm seeing several varieties of Dogfish Head, the aforementioned Lost Abbey, Bells, Founders, among others. There's a sign for Great Lakes Brewing on the wall, but nothing on the floor to my disappointment. I did, however, find a rare Ballast Point Sea Monster bomber, as well as a few others not available in MN, that made it worth the trip while I was in town.

There were two employees in the store, but both were at the registers, so no help was offered to me while I was there, nor did I seek it. To be fair, there were two steady lines of customers, but the customer service experience would benefit from having another person on the floor.

Overall, I was happy to see that they carry craft brews, and judging from their website, they seem to be making it a priority. Prices on most items are either right on with what I've seen at other places, or about $1 per bomber or 6 pk lower (*). *The selection & customer service has improved, making for a good out-of-the-way trip.*
Mar 02, 2010
Everett's Wines, Spirits & Beer in South Beloit, IL
Place rating: 4.46 out of 5 with 23 ratings